Thanksgiving Traditions at the White House

President Obama Pardons 'Cheese' the Turkey

President Barack Obama, right, with daughter Sasha, carries on the Thanksgiving tradition of saving a turkey from the dinner table with a "presidential pardon" of 'Cheese' in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington, Nov. 26, 2014. Also with Cheese are Gary Cooper, center, chairman of the National Turkey Federation and owner of Cooper Farms and his son Cole Cooper, far left.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

President Obama Pardons 'Cheese' the Turkey

President Barack Obama, right, with daughter Sasha, carries on the Thanksgiving tradition of saving a turkey from the dinner table with a "presidential pardon" of 'Cheese' in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington, Nov. 26, 2014. Also with Cheese are Gary Cooper, center, chairman of the National Turkey Federation and owner of Cooper Farms and his son Cole Cooper, far left.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

President Obama, with daughters Sasha, second from left, and Malia, right, pardons "Popcorn" at the White House in Washington, Nov. 27, 2013.

Evan Vucci/AP Photo

President Obama, with daughters Sasha, second from left, and Malia, right, carries on the Thanksgiving tradition of saving the national turkey, Popcorn, from the dinner table with a "presidential pardon," at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013.

Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Two turkeys, one named Caramel and the other Popcorn, are presented to the press in Washington, Nov. 26, 2013.

Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

Sasha Obama pets Cobbler a 19-week old, 40-pound turkey, as he is pardoned by President Obama on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Nov., 21, 2012, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo

President Obama is flanked by his daughters Sasha, left, and Malia, after pardoning Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey at the North Portico of the White House, Nov. 23, 2011.

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Then-President George W. Bush pets a turkey named Stars at the Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey in the White House Rose Garden, Nov. 24, 2003.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Then-President Bill Clinton stands with the annual Thanksgiving turkey waiting to be pardoned at the White House, Nov. 24, 1999. The bird, presented to the president by the National Turkey Federation, was given an official pardon from becoming dinner and sent to a local petting zoo.

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Then-President George H.W. Bush during a Rose Garden ceremony, Nov. 25, 1992, at which he pardoned that year's Thanksgiving turkey.

Greg Gibson/AP Photo

The Thanksgiving turkey being presented to then-President Ronald Reagan at the White House in Washington, Nov. 23, 1987, tries to fly away after being pardoned. Reagan sent the first officially pardoned turkey, Charlie, to safety at a petting zoo.

National Archives

Then-President Gerald R. Ford is presented with a Thanksgiving turkey from the National Turkey Federation, Nov. 20, 1975.

Then-President Richard Nixon receives the Thanksgiving turkey in front of the White House in Washington, Nov. 18, 1969.

National Archives

Then-President John F. Kennedy is presented with a Thanksgiving turkey outside the White House in Washington, Nov. 19, 1963. Though not the first official presidential pardon, Kennedy allowed the bird to live because of its smaller size, reportedly looking down at the bird and saying, "We'll just let this one grow," before sending it back to the farm from which it came.

Abbie Rowe/National Archives

Members of the Poultry and Egg National Board and other industry representatives present then-President Harry S. Truman with a Thanksgiving turkey outside the White House, Nov. 16, 1949. Though this was the first time a turkey was presented to the president of the United States, there are no records of Truman "pardoning" the turkey. The first turkey was actually pardoned by Ronald Reagan in 1987.